World War Z (2019 video game)
| released = April 16, 2019 | genre = Third-person shooter | modes = Single-player, multiplayer | producer = | designer = | programmer = | artist = | writer = | composer = }} World War Z is a third-person shooter video game developed by Saber Interactive and published by Mad Dog Games. It was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on April 16, 2019. Loosely based on the 2006 book of the same name, and set in the same universe as the 2013 film adaptation, the game follows groups of survivors of a zombie apocalypse in the cities of Moscow, New York, Jerusalem, and Tokyo. Gameplay The game is a cooperative third-person shooter in which four players fight against massive hordes of zombies in four locations: Moscow, New York, Jerusalem, and Tokyo. Players can choose from six classes, including Gunslinger, Hellraiser, who specializes in using explosives, Fixer, Medic, Slasher, who uses a melee weapon, and Exterminator, who specializes in crowd control. New perks and weapons can be unlocked for each of the classes as players progress in the game. The game can support up to 1000 enemies appearing on-screen simultaneously, and they can climb onto each other to reach players on a higher level. Players can collect different items in the battlefield, but their locations are procedurally generated. In addition to fighting zombies, players also need to complete different objectives, such as escorting survivors, in each location. The game features five competitive multiplayer modes. The Player vs Player vs Zombie mode pits two teams of players against each other while the zombie hordes attack both teams. Other modes include Swarm Deathmatch, Swarm Domination, and King of the Hill. Development Saber Interactive began the game's development after one of their teams completed the production of a Halo game. Approximately 100 people worked on the game. The studio decided to use the World War Z license for the game as they felt that there were too many risks involved in marketing a brand new intellectual property. Matt Karch, CEO of Saber Interactive, described the game as the combination of both the 2013 film and the book. Gerry Lane, the character played by Brad Pitt in the 2013 movie, is not in the game as the team opted to include multiple survivors who have their own stories. The team took inspiration from The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay when they were exploring how they could incorporate elements from the film and the book into the game. Left 4 Dead also inspired the developer when they were crafting the game's gameplay. A proprietary game engine named the Swarm Engine was used to power the game and render the huge zombie hordes. The game was announced at The Game Awards 2017. The game was released on April 19, 2019 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Focus Home Interactive served as the title's distributor. It was also an Epic Games Store exclusive. Saber planned to support the game by introducing more episodes, characters, settings, and competitive game modes, after the game's launch. Reception PS4: 66/100 XONE: 74/100 | Destruct = 7.5/10 | GI = 8.25/10 | JXV = 14/20 | rev2 = Push Square | rev2Score = }} According to review aggregator Metacritic, the game received "mixed or average reviews" from critics. Game Informer compared it to ''Left 4 Dead'' series, praised its shooting mechanics, visuals and story, but criticized its soundtrack, technical issues and some of the characters' narrative. Sales It was the best-selling retail game in the UK in its week of release. As of April 23, 2019, more than 1 million units of the game have been sold. It sold almost 2 million copies in the first month after the release. References External links * Category:2019 video games Category:Cooperative video games Category:Horror video games Category:PlayStation 4 games Category:Post-apocalyptic video games Category:Third-person shooters Category:Video games about viral outbreaks Category:Video games developed in the United States Category:Video games set in Jerusalem Category:Video games set in Moscow Category:Video games set in New York City Category:Video games set in Tokyo Category:Video games that support Vulkan Category:Windows games Category:Xbox One games Category:Zombie video games Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games Category:Saber Interactive games